S2Member Pro is a premium WordPress plugin for managing memberships. While WordPress has a built-in user role system in place, S2Member Pro takes the concept a bit further by allowing webmasters to actually restrict which pages or services a visitor has access to as well as how the user gains access to member-only areas. S2Member Pro is world-famous as the leading membership management plugin for WordPress as its features allow webmasters to have complete control over their websites.
Features
S2Member Pro allows a webmaster to restrict which pages and other content that non-members have access to by assigning each page or feature of your website a required user role that visitors must have in order to view the content. While you can choose to let the public view the majority of your website, you can hide specific elements of your site from non-paying customers and automatically grant them access to those elements once they have paid a pre-determined fee. S2Member Pro does this quite elegantly and can automatically block a user from accessing member-only pages as soon as their membership expires and can even email the member friendly reminders ahead of time to inform them that they need to make a payment. The plugin can even work on a multi-site installation of WordPress in order to control dozens or even hundreds of different websites at once.
Pricing
S2Member Pro is available in three different versions, including the Single Site License, the Unlimited-Site License, the Network Support License, and the Free Version. The Single Site License is available for $69 and includes the S2Member framework, the S2Member Pro add-ons, and free upgrades to all future releases. The Unlimited-Site License includes all of the same features as the Single Site License, but can be used on unlimited websites and is available for $129. The Network Support License is available for $289 and is designed for use on multi-site installations of WordPress, in which the plugin will be available to sub-sites and their corresponding users. All of these packages can be purchased directly or via PayPal’s BillMeLater service. The Free Version of S2Member is the actual framework of the plugin and has virtually the exact same features of the Pro Version, but doesn’t include as much support.
Documentation
Whether you purchase S2Member Pro or download the free version, the plugin is well documented and provides users with step-by-step tutorials on a wide variety of subjects, such as installing the plugin and integrating it with other platforms. The documentation for S2Member Pro can be found on the plugin’s website and consists of pre-sale questions, video tutorials, a general knowledge base, and specific instructions for expanding the plugin’s functionality through its API.
Support
In addition to documentation, S2Member Pro has two support forums that allow users to communicate with the plugin’s developers and other users, one of which is only for paying customers while the other is open to the public. Contacting the S2Member developers directly, however, seems to be a luxury that is only afforded to paying customers.
Renee is a student from Europe with a passion for blogging. She writes about WordPress and she’s also a passionate web designer. She runs a awesome website where she offers Pretty Link Pro coupon code and review for developers and novice users.